Momnesia

Julie and Sarah are back for Season 3, Episode 3. Tween fashion, interfaith dynamics, raising kids during a pandemic, racial profiling. We nearly cover every topic in this discussion with some new friends, guests Zaiba Hasan and Uzma Jafri from the podcast Mommying While Muslim. "Mommying While Muslim seeks to support American Muslim moms and the unique issues we face in a post 9/11 world. In addition to sharing our personal experiences and perspectives, our greatest desire is to learn from and validate our Muslim American sisters, offer support, as well as work together to find solutions and relevant resources for us to help each other thrive. Through this work, the podcast intends to develop a movement of lasting cultural change by building allies, resources, and innovative programming that elevates women and motherhood to their rightful Islamic status." Visit mommyingwhilemuslim.com for more info. Facebook | @MommyingWhileMuslim Instagram | @mommyingwhilemuslimpodcast If you love the Momnesia Podcast, please make sure to SUBSCRIBE, RATE, and REVIEW us on Apple Podcasts. We would be ever so grateful! Join our Momnesia Community on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Sign up for our blog Xoxo Julie & Sarah

Julie and Sarah are back for Season 3, Episode 2 with guest Lisa Graft. There is plenty of chatting about this season of zoom calls and sore rear-ends, Julie’s new coaching business Awake Enneagram and Sarah’s constant pivoting in 2020 as a musician. They talk about their passions and the logistical and philosophical challenges of navigating this season as women - work, pandemic, home life - all with a baby on the hip! Lisa Graft is an emotional, creative, insightful, and encouraging storyteller. She’s a writer, speaker, and podcast host! Lisa is the Founder of the movement that’s changing mom-culture, I Am Mother of the Year.com, where she’s equipping and encouraging moms to move from isolation, fear, and overwhelming chaos, to community, compassion, peace, and freedom. Giving her inspiration and plenty of real-life and ridiculous stories to tell is her husband Ryan of 10 years, and kids, Josie, 6, and Cal, 3. Make sure to check out I Am Mother of the Year’s Virtual Favorite Things party this week for fun and free giveaways! Make sure to follow Lisa on social media! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/groups/IAmMotheroftheYear and https://www.facebook.com/lisamotheroftheyear Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/iammotheroftheyear/ Website - http://iammotheroftheyear.com/ If you love the Momnesia Podcast, please make sure to SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW us on Apple Podcasts. We would be ever so grateful! Join our Momnesia Community onFacebookFollow us onInstagramSign up for ourblog Xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Welcome back to Momnesia! Julie and Sarah kick-off season three by sharing how life has changed as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. We know all you mamas out there can relate to this new juggling act of working, schooling, and parenting from home. Let’s commiserate together and cheer each other on as we figure out this new way of life. Today’s guest is Mary Baker-Boudissa. Mary is an educator, speaker, and advocate, working with school districts, nonprofits, and churches to create environments that value diversity and are equipped for social justice and culturally relevant responses to communities. She currently works for PCG, Inc. in Indianapolis as a Project Specialist and recently served as interim pastor at a church in Anderson, Indiana. In ministry and in her professional life, Mary continues to use her voice to promote anti-racism and equity, while coaching allies in social justice work. She is mother to two sons, ages 22 and 15, and a daughter, age 12. Links mentioned in today’s show - Instagram |https://www.instagram.com/harvardgrad95 Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mary.bakerboudissa Momnesia Swag | T-shirts, tanks, and totes Website | https://www.momnesiapodcast.com/ Please make sure to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Today’s episode wraps up season two of Momnesia. We heard from fourteen amazing women, each one giving us a glimpse into their motherhood journey with vulnerability and authenticity. This season was marked with stories of postpartum depression, loss, and grief, but also new life, healing, and hope. We hope you enjoyed listening as much as we enjoyed capturing these stories. And what better way to end season two than with the queen of podcasting herself, Lindsay Tjepkema. Lindsay is the CEO and co-founder of Casted, the first and only marketing platform built around branded podcasts. With more than 15 years of experience in B2B marketing, including running her own consulting agency, she’s a dynamic leader who’s had tremendous success building and growing marketing teams on a local and global level. After launching a branded podcast for a global marketing company, Lindsay realized her passion for authentic conversations. This led her to founding Casted to help marketers unlock the full potential of their content by harnessing the power of podcasting. The company has since gained rapid traction among brands that wish to create greater connection with their audiences through authentic conversation. Lindsay is also the mother of three boys, including twins. She and her husband are both from Michigan, but now embrace the chaos from their home in Fortville, IN. Learn more at casted.us and engage with Lindsay on Twitter @CastedLindsay Links mentioned in today’s show - Website | https://casted.us Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/castedlindsay Twitter | https://www.twitter.com/castedlindsay Momnesia Swag | T-shirts, tanks, and totes Podcast Recommendation | Badass Women’s Council Erica Ballard | Workplace Wellness Expert Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! xoxo - Julie & Sarah

"What good is the warm of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness." - John Steinbeck While Julie and Sarah agree on many things, the winter season is not one of them. Julie has had her fill of blustery winds, gray skies, and sloshy roads from snow, sleet, and ice, and is ready for sunshine and spring. Sarah, on the other hand, is loving the snow-covered scenery and the blanket of tranquility that it brings. Join the conversation and let us know which camp you fall in, Team Winter or Team Anything But Winter. Today’s guest is Tasha Jun. Tasha is a melancholy daydreamer, a Korean girl, wife to Matt, and mama to three little warriors: two wild boys and one little lady. She loves French fries, world maps, coffee, spicy soup and wandering the world. As long as she can remember, she’s lived and stood in places where cultures collide, longing for home. Jesus found her in the middle of her lifelong homesickness and has been leading her towards wholeness ever since. Links mentioned in today’s show - Website | https://tashajun.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/tashajunb/ Facebook | https://m.facebook.com/tashajunwriter Momnesia Swag | T-shirts, tanks, and totes Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! xoxo - Julie & Sarah

It’s Momnesia time, y’all! Today your podcast hosts are feeling a bit slap-happy, so please forgive us ahead of time. In our Catch Up at the beginning of the episode, Sarah shares about her latest adventure in rearranging furniture in her home. Who thinks it’s time for Sarah to start a blog chronicling the ever-changing layout of her home? (I’d read that.) Or, maybe she should start another side-gig (is this her third or fourth?) where she stages furniture for people in their homes. (I’d hire her.) We are hoping she has learned her lesson on moving grand pianos by herself, but the jury is still out. Stay tuned. Julie gushes over her love of Adriene Mishler, the sweetest, goofiest, most authentic yogi you will ever find. Yoga With Adriene is a free, online, daily yoga class on YouTube (her channel has over 6 million subscribers!). If you’ve ever been interested to learn more about yoga or curious to try out the practice, this is a great place to get started in the comfort of your own home. Today’s guest is Lindsay Hotmire. Lindsay is a master message coach and copy expert who loves to work with coaches and leaders who know there's nothing formulaic about authenticity. Without a doubt, Lindsay's greatest accomplishment is her family. She lives in the Midwest with her husband and four kids, loves wine and bourbon, takes small walks with her out-of-shape puppy, and occasionally dreams about what life will be like in 5 years when she is an official empty nester. In this episode, Lindsay reflects not a single story of motherhood, but a series of vignettes that have been collected over time; tiny, little stories that come together to represent something even bigger. Find out more about Lindsay - https://lindsayhotmire.com/ Follow Lindsay on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lindsayhotmire/ Join our Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/MomnesiaPodcast Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/momnesiapodcast Visit our website - https://www.momnesiapodcast.com Get your own Momneisa Swag – https://www.teespring.com/stores/momnesia Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! xoxo - Julie & Sarah

In today’s Catch Up, Julie and Sarah share about specific individuals who have touched their lives in unique ways. For Julie, it’s Rachel Held Evans. Julie first found Rachel about 10 years ago through her blog, and followed her career through four books, countless articles, and various speaking engagements. Rachel was able to articulate what Julie was thinking, feeling and wrestling with in a way that no one else could. In May 2019, Rachel passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, and people all over the globe continue to mourn her death. Julie grapples with a deep sense of loss and struggles to understand how the loss of someone she never met could have such an impact on her life. For Sarah, it is Henri Nouwen, Eva Cassidy, and her grandfather, William Scharbrough. There’s something mystical about reading the words, or hearing the voice of someone who has already passed on, and our attachment to these individuals is different from those who are still here with us. Our own stories are impacted by people whom we’ve never met, and we hope the stories we share in this sacred space will also touch your life. Today’s guest is Marisella Bordrero. Marisella was in corporate recruiting for 10 years prior to her starting her private career coaching program for women. After the birth of her daughter, she struggled to find her new identity as a mother and a career-driven, high-achieving woman. With the help of her supportive husband, a therapist, and her own exploration in the world of personal development, she was able to establish a clear sense of self and purpose and is grateful to serve as a coach for other women on the same journey. Marisella has spoken at 20+ universities, featured in Mother Honestly blog, Working Mom Kind blog, Women Impact Tech, Working Mothers podcast, Arizona Foothills magazine, and recently featured in Voyage Phoenix magazine. She is now coaching women on how to strategically generate interviews and offers at fortune 500 companies and startups through her signature coaching program. Links mentioned in this week’s episode - Momnesia Swag | T-shirts, tanks, and totes Momnesia Survey | We want to hear from you! Marisella Bodrero | Website Marisella Bodrero | Instagram Marisella Bodrero | Facebook High Performance Habits | Brendon Burchard Motivation Manifesto | Brendon Burchard Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Do you have a moment in your past that you wish you could change? Do you replay certain conversations over and over again, wishing you could have had the perfect comeback in the moment rather than 10 years later? Is there a moment in time when everything changed? Sarah and Julie have been mulling this over in conversations on Marco Polo for the past three weeks after being introduced to a remarkable podcast produced by Gimlet Media entitled Heavyweight with Jonathan Goldstein. We can’t stop listening. It’s that good. Today’s guest on the pod is Rachel Prtiz. Rachel is a corporate escapee turned certified Life Coach. She spent 15 years in healthcare as a Registered Nurse and nurse executive. In March of 2019, she shifted gears and started her own business. She focuses on helping people get unstuck, maximize their potential and create more of the life they crave. Rachel is a mom of 2 living children, Austin (6) and Zoey (3) and the mom of 3 babies in heaven. Losing her daughter to stillbirth was a pivotal moment in her life. She turned her grief into post-traumatic growth and is now living her life with gratitude and presence and helping others do the same. Links mentioned in this week’s episode Momnesia Swag | T-shirts, tanks, and totes Momnesia Survey | We want to hear from you! Be Still | Leaning into God When Everything Falls Apart Heavyweight | Gimlet Media Rachel Pritz | Life & Business Coach PTG | Post-Traumatic Growth Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Sarah and Julie don’t just host and produce podcasts; they eat, sleep, and drink PODCASTS! And, in this week’s Catch Up, we share some of our newest podcast obsessions with the Momnesia community. Whether you are a true crime kind of gal or a fiction-loving mama, we’ve got some great suggestions to start off your New Year. Today’s guest on the pod is Rev. Shannon New Spangler. Shannon is a passionate and empathetic preacher and teacher who loves to read, travel, play video games, and hang out with her family. She enjoys Mountain Dew, Target, fun earrings, and yoga. Shannon married her best friend, Brett, in 2005. They enjoy people-watching and visiting new places. She is a momma to two sons, Judah (5) and Isaiah (2). Shannon is passionate about following Jesus, helping people to feel loved, social justice, and unity. In this episode, Shannon shares candidly about her experience with postpartum depression. This all consuming darkness made her feel like she was failing in all areas of life, including in her role as mom, spouse and pastor. Anger and shame were common companions, and there are lapses in her memory during this two-year time period. At the urging of her husband, Shannon got the medical attention she needed and was able to move out of the darkness and into a healthy place. She offers a message of hope and encourages others who may be in that same dark place to be bold in asking for help and take comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! Join our Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/MomnesiaPodcast Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/momnesiapodcast Join our email list - https://www.momnesiapodcast.com xoxo - Julie & Sarah

On today’s catch up, Julie and Sarah talk about bucket lists. This fall, Julie was a guest on the Good Girl Gone Boss podcast (make sure to check it out) and the hosts completely caught her off guard when they asked her to share about her bucket list. Julie came to the startling realization that she doesn’t have one! As someone who leads with type 8 (Enneagram alert!), if Julie wants to do something, she doesn’t put it on a list . . . she just does it! But this question stuck with her long after the recording session ended. Julie started a list on her phone that afternoon, and has been adding to it ever since. Sarah was chatting about this very same idea with friends, and our favorite type 4 was ready to put her own special twist on the bucket list concept. Wanderlust is her bestie, so like Julie, she has already done some pretty extensive traveling around the world. When Sarah dreams about the future, she has owning a bed and breakfast or retreat center at the top of her list; a place where people can come and rest, a place to host music camps and retreats, a place to create and grow. What if it wasn’t 30 years down the road, but now? Can we make those dreams come true during the hustle and bustle of raising our kids? Today’s guest is another Sarah, a fellow dreamer and artist who leads with type 4. Sarah’s story is marked by both deep grief and unexpected grace, both of which have become a catalyst for her as a writer and a speaker. She invites women to lean in to God, right where they are, and to look for Him in everyday life—in the beautiful, the broken, and those seemingly mundane in-between spaces. Sarah writes regularly at Sarahewestfall.com and her work has been featured on LifterToday, Kindred Mom, and Light from the Word. Sarah has also partnered with fellow writers to create a thirty-day devotional Be Still: Leaning into God When Everything Falls Apart—available for digital download on Amazon. Sarah currently lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with Ben—her husband of fifteen years—and four sons: Cohen, Trace, Jamison, Mathis. In her limited spare time, Sarah enjoys traveling with Ben, eating Taco Bell alone, hiding in a coffee shop, and reading fiction during her nightly bubble bath. Be sure to connect with Sarah on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! Join our Facebook Group Follow us on Instagram Visit our website xoxo - Julie & Sarah

In this week’s catch up, Sarah shares about a unique and powerful experience she shared with her mom performing with SongShape, a program of The Resonance Initiative. The SongShape Chorus uses the power of singing to encourage people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia – as well as their care partners – to create something unique, engage in community life, and rediscover the fullness of what life with dementia and Alzheimer’s can be. Julie reports back on her trip to Denver where she participated in an Enneagram workshop hosted by The Narrative Enneagram. The Narrative Tradition offers an interactive exploration of the Enneagram through inquiry with panelists who share their personal stories and insights. Tune in to hear about this rich experience and how Julie continues to wrestle with the wisdom and insight she gained over the weekend. Today’s guest is Suze Fair. Suze wears a lot of hats. She’s a pastor, a creative, and a professional. In her career she has worked in higher education, the marketplace, and the church. Wherever she is, she is passionate about making sure the Good News of Jesus is being shared. Currently, Suze is the Chief Culture Officer for a community bank in Northern Indiana. She also enjoys writing & speaking about the journey of faith the Lord has invited her on (both professionally and personally). Married for 30 + years to Kelly and they are the parents (adoptive and bio) of 3 (mostly) grown children. Suze is involved in her community, passionate about the Arts & their redemptive potential, and trying daily to figure out how to be a Good Neighbor. She also drinks way too much coffee and is tempted to daily to run away to the beach (but that’s a story for another day). Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! Join our Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/MomnesiaPodcast Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/momnesiapodcast Visit our website - https://www.momnesiapodcast.com xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Momnesia friends, we want to give you a quick heads up. In this week’s catch up, we talk about some heavy subjects surrounding suicide and the death of a loved one. If you would prefer to bypass this particular discussion, please skip ahead to 15:47. Julie continues to reflect on the experience she shared with her daughter at Dear Evan Hansen; particularly, how suicide can have such a devastating effect on families, especially when family members are at odds with the person who took their own life. We debate whether or not Julie is in fact the STRICTEST parent ever; and if she is, should this be worn as a badge of honor? If she provides Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream for her daughter, she can’t be all that bad. We mourn with Sarah in the loss of her Sito (Arabic for grandmother), and celebrate her life and their close relationship. She talks about what it feels like to live in the “thin place”, the space where heaven touches earth, when she is closely tuned in to her emotions, feelings, and ultimately, the Holy Spirit’s prompting. Today’s guest is no stranger to the thin place. Molly Huffman is a mess-cleaner and toddler-wrangler by day, but a writer, speaker, and Bible-studier at heart. Her unique experiences with grief and loss have shaped her love of Christ and His words, and have birthed a desire in her to comfort and encourage others with Scripture. She and her family live in Morehead, Kentucky, and they will tell you if you want any of the popcorn, don’t share a bowl with Molly. Make sure to follow Molly on social media! Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/molly.mccrackenmonroe Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/molhuff Website - https://mollyhuffman.com/ If you love the Momnesia Podcast, please make sure to SUBSCRIBE, RATE and REVIEW us on Apple Podcasts. We would be ever so grateful! Join our Momnesia Community on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MomnesiaPodcast Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/momnesiapodcast Sign up for our blog - https://www.momnesiapodcast.com/ Xoxo - Julie & Sarah

In this week’s catch up, Sarah shares about some of her recent gigs - Indianapolis Airport (best one in the nation, baby!) for the Indy Jazz Fest; When Country Went Pop at the Boone County Flavor Fest; and closing out the weekend with a private event at Newfields. Julie shares about a special trip with her daughter to see the Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen. But as we all know, there is always a story behind the photo. Join us on the pod to get the whole scoop! Today’s guest is Jen Petro. Jen's a mama of three who runs on beef jerky, naps, and kombucha. She lives in Fishers, Indiana, with her husband, Paul, and their kidlets. Jen's a full-on word nerd who creates content for businesses big and small. Her company, DropLeaf Communications, dishes up big-hearted marketing services for clients who want to make the world a better place. And she's also super passionate about encouraging and equipping women to grow thriving businesses of their own. She likes her music loud, baths hot, and books long. Jen shares candidly about a dark period of time in the life of her family when her husband was diagnosed with both cancer and depression. And while it may seem like cancer would be the heavier diagnosis of the two, it was the depression that had her living in a fog for years. Part of Paul’s journey involved counseling and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), which turned the Petros into evangelists for this particular treatment. If you or a loved one has struggled with depression, we hope that this episode resonates with you and gives you hope. You are not alone! Please make sure to subscribe, rate and review our podcast. Your reviews help new listeners find us on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! Join our Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/MomnesiaPodcast Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/momnesiapodcast Visit our website - https://www.momnesiapodcast.com xoxo - Julie & Sarah

Hello, Momnesia land! In this week’s catch up, Sarah shares about celebrating her 18th wedding anniversary with Jeff. (Mazel tov, friends!) They started the summer with a romantic getaway, but still wanted to do something special on the day of their anniversary. While drinking coffee at Cafe Patachou, they began dreaming about how they would like to spend their 20th anniversary together. All this anniversary talk reminds Julie about the year she and Colin celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary in Uganda and Rwanda. While going on safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, they made a memory together that they will never forget...even if they wanted to! Today’s guest is Kate Bolt, dear friend and former college roommate of Julie; Holland, Michigan native; and owner of Living Lark, a food and lifestyle company. Kate is a recipe writer who loves to eat. A few years ago, she got tired of ignoring her creative side and wrote down 100 of her original recipes -- recipes for the home cook who has ignored being creative in the kitchen and longs to slow down and enjoy more life and time at home. She is married to Dan and they have three young kids: Jack, Willem, and Vivian. They love living on the coast of Lake Michigan and going on a LARK together. We are excited to celebrate with Kate as she gets ready to publish her first cookbook this November! Please support Kate by following her on social media and signing up for the Lark newsletter on her website. Lark by Kate Bolt - https://www.livinglark.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/livinglark Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/livinglark Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/larkbykatebolt If you want to learn more about Brain Spotting, check out this quick video. Make sure to follow our social media posts this week on Facebook and Instagram as we share a few Living Lark recipes, Kate’s poetry, and of course, a giveaway contest to win a copy of Kate’s new cookbook! Also, make sure to subscribe, rate and review the Momnesia Podcast on Apple Podcasts. xoxo - Julie & Sarah

In this week’s catch up, Sarah recommends her recent binge-worthy show on Netflix, Ozark. Our fave, Jason Bateman, is not only the main character in this dark show, but also the Director. He recently won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series. If you haven’t seen the show, you may have seen his reaction to winning the Emmy floating around on social media. We love you Jason! Let us know if you want to be on the pod! Julie had to take a break from serial killers and true crime podcasts (we’re looking at you Crime Junkie and Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) in order to lighten her mood. John Mulaney’s standup on Netflix was the perfect pick me up. If you haven’t checked out his three comedy specials (Kid Gorgeous, The Comeback Kid, and New In Town), you totally should. Just don’t do it while you are driving on the freeway and laughing so hard that you are crying and possibly get in a car wreck. We could not be more excited to introduce you to our guests today - our very own MOMS - Debbie Sebastian, Candy Short, Marlene Scharbrough, and Tammy McLaughlin. They indulged us by coming into the studio to share some stories from their own motherhood journey, ones they want to remember and ones they wish they could forget. Debbie Sebastian (Julie’s Mom) is a retired educator, stay at home mom, and pastor’s wife. She now spends her time caring for four grandkids in Indiana and Tennessee, traveling with her hubby of 48 years, and volunteering at the Madison County Literacy Coalition. Candy Short (Julie’s Mother-in-law) is also a recently retired educator, former working mom, and Mimi to two grandkids and two grand-doggies. Candy worked for 40 years as an elementary school teacher and principal in the Anderson Community Schools and Greenfield Central School districts. She continues to volunteer in these two school districts, various educational foundations, her church, and as the official E-Learning Day teacher for Matthew and Mary Kate (well, she shares this roll with Debbie.) . Marlene Scharbrough (Sarah’s Mom) is living proof that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. She and her husband of 42 years, Bill, have instilled their love of music into all three of their children. Marlene has served as a minister of music, a music and piano teacher, and an accompanist on the piano and organ throughout her career. One of her greatest joys has been playing in the weddings of her students. And of course, being grandma to all nine of her grandchildren! Tammy McLaughlin (Sarah’s Mother-in-law) has worked in a variety of settings, from nursing homes and in-home care, to start-ups and higher education. This momma completed her college degree while working part-time, and graduated alongside her youngest son. She also has nine grandchildren and loves being their Mimi! Make sure to follow our social media posts this week on Facebook and Instagram as we share photos from the past. Also, make sure to subscribe, rate and review the Momnesia Podcast on Apple Podcasts! xoxo - Julie & Sarah

It's time for season two of the Momnesia Podcast! Sarah and Julie spend time catching up on life by doing a deep dive on four important topics - health, family, careers, and our current faves (what we are listening to, watching and reading). Grab you favorite drink and settle in with us as we fill you in on all the details! Julie starts us off by sharing about some major health issues she encountered at the beginning of the year. A uterine fibroid was making life unbearable - ridiculous bleeding, shortness of breath, changing clothes every every few hours, emotional rollercoasters, lower back pain, and sleepless nights. The solution was a DaVinci hysterectomy, which brought about the relief she was hoping for, but left Julie out of commission for three weeks. Family, friends, and our online community surrounded her with love and support, for which she is eternally grateful! Sarah gives us an early glimpse into her work on a new health and wellness plan with certified health coach. She's focusing on what she calls, "the holy work of inner peace" - learning how to identify and capture the negative messages and emotions that bounce around in her subconscious mind, and retraining her thoughts to be more loving to her body. The Shorts are going through a big transition as Colin ends his job at Anderson High School and pursues a dream of becoming self-employed with Colin Short Creative. He's writing a book and offering copywriting services to companies big and small. School is back in session for the McLaughlin kiddos. Sarah lives out her dream of playing the cello through Soren; Joseph is killing it in math drills and earning the dollar bills (yo) in fourth grade; Anna was successful at roping mom into becoming a Girl Scout Leader, so get ready for cookie season (Do you love Troop Beverly Hills as much as we do?); and the twins could not be more excited to start preschool! Julie is over the top excited to be attending an Enneagram Intensive in Colorado this fall as a part of her professional development plan at work. The training is provided by the Narrative Enneagram Program and is the first step in becoming a certified Enneagram coach, so get ready for more Enneagram discussion on the pod! She's also taking an online course with our new best friend (and future podcast guest) Jen Petro. Sarah just released a new album - Reverie (available on Spotify and Apple Music) and is already preparing for the holiday season. She will have six shows at The Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis (December 6-8), featuring friend and winner of The Voice, Josh Kaufman. Sarah will also be performing with the Carmel Symphony at the Carmel Palladeum in December. Make sure to check out her website for details. www.sarahtunes.com So what's our current jam? Julie can't get enough of the Second Life Podcast with Hillary Kerr and Sarah can't stop listening to the Highwomen album. Make sure to check back for details on our first Momnesia Meet Up! And don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.

As Momnesia Podcast’s first season wraps up, Sarah and Julie sit down and talk about surviving this Indiana winter weather, their careers and projects on which they're each working, and what’s in store for Season 2 and beyond. Their guest for this episode is Renee Travis. Renee is a Mama Warrior to one exceptional boy, Austin, and wife to her redneck husband, Barry. In her previous life she was a marketing executive, singer, and amateur shopper…and then her world was turned upside-down when autism entered the picture. At ten months old, her son was given an unprecedented, extremely early autism spectrum diagnosis. Her world became silent when his world became silent, and all that mattered from that point forward was improving his life as much as possible, as quickly as possible. Because of their success and her son’s amazing transformation, Renee’s biggest passion lies with helping other parents like her. It’s never too early. There are signs. There is help.

In this week’s episode, Sarah and Julie sit down with Lani Nunes Willbanks. Lani’s story is raw and vulnerable, complex and layered, hard and beautiful. Lani has lived from coast to coast and is married to her retired military husband in Washington D.C.. She has four daughters and a son and talks about life as a single mom, as a blended family, and all kinds of other seasons. She works in the church world, centering her efforts on social justice and human rights and is a self-proclaimed “recovering pastor’s kid”. She gives a glimpse into “Asian shame”, talks about the benefits of “shellac”, and expresses gratitude for a safe space at Momnesia to share her story for the first time.

In today's episode, Sarah and Julie interview Turae Mumford. Turae speaks to her co-parenting journey and the non-traditional road that led her there. As a beautiful woman of faith, Turae shares about the village it has taken in parenthood, being a minister's wife, her role as female leader in the African-American community, and her career in the political world. This episode includes chats on New Years' resolutions, celery juicing, Weezer, choir nerds and Gantt charts.

On today’s pod, Sarah and Julie sit down to chat with Christina Smith. Be forewarned - you are going to need some tissues nearby for this episode. It’s a doozy. Christina Smith has been a licensed mental heath therapist for almost 20 years. Christina considers it an honor to do the work of journeying through past and present pain with clients seeking to heal from trauma, loss, depression, and anxiety. Christina has experienced her own journey of loss and struggle. Her desire is that through her vulnerability, others will find hope for healing and will know they they are not alone. Christina is actively involved in her church community, volunteers regularly at her sons’ schools, and works to increase community connections throughout her neighborhood. Christina has been married to her husband, David, for 20 years. He also happens to be a therapist. They love taking walks, talking about life, and dreaming together.